Ka Shui Group is a member of the antimicrobial subcommittee of American Society for Testing and Materials (“ASTM"). In response to the growing market demand on the usage of antimicrobial plastics, Ka Shui initiated to standardize the testing method of Germ-repellent efficacy for the industry. Since 2018, Ka Shui has been working with the industrial antimicrobial practitioners and ASTM expertise to develop the methodology. In November 2022, ASTM approved and published the new international standard ASTM E3371-22 “Standard Test Method for Measuring the Ability of a Synthetic Polymeric Material to Resist Bacterial Adherence”. 

The well-known standards for antimicrobial testing such as ASTM E2180 and ISO 22196 are set for the efficacy of germ-killing. Before the ASTM E3371-22 is established, there is no international standard to evaluate the germ-repellent performance for plastics in the market.  As an industrial pioneer, Ka Shui Group is proud of developing and defining the quantitative testing method for germ repellent efficacy.

Due to the COVID-19, there is growing public hygiene awareness. Numerous new antimicrobial products were developed and launched to market, which mainly added biocides, heavy metal (Ag+) or treated coating applications. However, there is concern about the side effects of the pollution or contamination which eventually affected human health. Therefore, Ka Shui developed “microbeFENCE® germ-repellent technology” which greatly reduced the adhesion of germs on the plastic surface so as to achieve the efficacy of germ repellent for plastics solution. The microbeFENCE® technology does not contain any biocides or heavy metal and therefore protect the environment and human health.